The Pittsburgh Steelers will likely test their cornerback depth for the next few games. That’s because the same week the team traded Joey Porter Jr., the Steelers also lost veteran starting cornerback Jamel Dean to an ankle injury.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday morning Dean could be sidelined for a couple weeks because of the ailment.
With that in mind, Steelers Depot’s Dave Bryan argued the team shouldn’t mess around with its cornerback depth. Instead, Bryan encouraged the Steelers to target veteran cornerback Trevon Diggs off the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.
“Seahawks elevated Trevon Diggs for this game and are playing him. When he reverts, the Steelers should try to snake him off their practice squad and especially if Jamel Dean is going to be sidelined at least two weeks,” Bryan wrote on X with the Steelers Depot official account. “Diggs would need to stay on the 53 for at least 3 weeks.”
Diggs made his 2026 NFL season debut Sunday for the Seahawks. However, he only played nine defensive snaps.
Diggs is a former first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl cornerback. In 2021, he led the NFL with 11 interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. Diggs also had 21 pass defenses that season while making first-team All-Pro.
In 2022, he made his second consecutive Pro Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys while posting three interceptions and 14 pass defenses.
Last season, Diggs split his time between the Cowboys and Green Bay Packers. He had 27 combined tackles while playing 460 defensive snaps.
Should Steelers Target Trevon Diggs Off Seahawks Practice Squad?
Per NFL rules, the Steelers could add Diggs to their organization for no cost by signing him to their active roster. The Seahawks would have the option to first sign Diggs from their practice squad to the active roster. If they don’t, and Diggs agrees to a contract with Pittsburgh, the Steelers would get the former All-Pro cornerback for nothing.
The only other requirement, as Bryan wrote on X, would be the Steelers must keep Diggs on their active roster for three weeks.
That’s roughly the length of time the Steelers might need a replacement for Dean. The Steelers will face the Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints over the next three games. Dean could return for the Saints matchup, but if not, it sounds like he should be back for the Cleveland Browns rematch on November 1.
Diggs experienced his All-Pro season and Pro Bowl campaigns while playing for Steelers new head coach Mike McCarthy. He also led the league in interceptions while under Steelers secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr.
Diggs doesn’t appear to be the same player. But the Steelers could roll the dice on the veteran performing close to that level for a handful of games while playing for his former coaches.
How Steelers Could Replace Dean With Current Roster
Diggs is an outside-the-box candidate for the Steelers to replace Diggs. More than likely, the team will turn to Asante Samuel Jr. and rookie Daylen Everette.
Samuel played pretty well in the first two games of the season in place of Porter. In Week 3, though, he struggled against the dynamic and tall Cincinnati Bengals receivers. Samuel performed a little better Thursday, but overall, the Steelers defense struggled against the Browns.
Everette played a season-high 52 defensive snaps versus Cleveland. He appeared to have one bad gaffe in coverage, but safety Rayshawn Jenkins might have been the defensive back who made the mistake on the play.
The Steelers were very high on Everette, who they picked in the third round, throughout the summer. More than likely, the team will prefer to start him instead of plucking Diggs from the Seahawks. But with any rookie, especially at cornerback, there’s going to be growing pains.
Diggs might be a superior option if Dean is truly only going to miss a couple weeks.
Steelers Urged to Poach CB From Seahawks After Jamel Dean Injury